I don’t like chicken liver pâté … I LOVE it. My mother-in-law, Marie Robertson, makes a mean, charming old-school chicken liver pâté. It has a nice chilli bite and enough brandy to give it a good kick. It’s smooth and tasty and is, with the pink peppercorns and my bacon-onion jam, one of the best pâtés I have ever tasted.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan. Add the chicken livers, garlic and chilli. Cook the livers for a couple of minutes on each side, until lightly coloured – but still a little pink in the middle – if you overcook them they will lose their smooth texture and become grainy.
Pour in the brandy. If you’re using a gas hob you can flame it until the alcohol cooks off, but watch your hair! Simmer for a minute or so, then take the livers off the heat and tip them into a food processor. Blitz until you have a smooth purée. Add the salt, pepper and cream and continue to blitz. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Melt the butter and pink peppercorns in a little pot. Spoon over the pâté. Leave to set in the fridge for 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is completely rendered and the bacon has started to crisp. Add the onions, mustard, ginger, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper and water. Stir to combine, then cover the pot, lower the heat and allow the mixture to cook undisturbed for 15 or 20 minutes. Remove the top, stir again and then partly cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cook until most of the liquid is gone and the onions have achieved a dark brown jam texture, approximately 60 to 70 minutes. Remove mixture from heat, and allow to cool slightly. Spoon the jam into a jar or bowl, then allow to cool completely.

I made these fibre rich pancakes on Expresso this morning. They are so delicious, moist and works brilliantly with the Kellogg’s® All-Bran Hi-Fibre® cereal. Serve them with fresh seasonal fruit, a drizzle of honey and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Yum!

Pour the buttermilk over the Kellogg’s® All-Bran Hi-Fibre® cereal in a medium bowl and let it soak for 5 minutes. Sift the self-raising flour and salt together. Stir the honey, egg and egg yolk, olive oil and zest through the buttermilk mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix through. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a small frying pan over low medium heat. Add enough of the pancake mixture to the pan to cover it in a thin layer. The mixture is quite stiff so you might need a spoon to spread the mixture around to cover the pan. Fry until the top is almost set. Turn over and fry until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm and repeat with the rest of the mixture. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with warmed honey and strawberries.

My four-year old niece Luka asked me to make a birthday cake for this year. This is not an easy task as she wants a Tinker Bell cake of all things. You see I am a cook but definitely not a cake baking or cake decorating person…. Baking for me is rather a tedious, scientific and boring affair as you have to follow the recipe 100% otherwise your recipe is going to flop – like most of my cakes I might add! And let it be known that when it comes to decorating I have two left hands.

So I had to make a plan somehow in order to get me started – I did not want to try my deal with Luka’s Tinker Bell cake first time around so I decided to make a simple Blue Monster cupcake to start with and in some way then prepare myself for the fairy monster ahead. Well, I had so much fun ….

Mix the buttercream icing with a little blue food colouring until you get the real “monster” colour. Spread a thin layer of blue buttercream icing over the cupcake. Place the grass nozzle in your piping bag and fill-up ¾ with icing. Press the icing on top of the cupcake and then pull it up to get the effect of hair. Place the eyes and the mouth in place.

Fudge brings back so many childhood memories. I have such fond recollections of standing with mom in the kitchen making these sweet treats and then sitting somewhere quietly nibbling away on a few blocks. This is such an easy recipe I have been making it for years – you just throw everything into a pot and let it cook until the mixture turns into a soft sludge. To make things even easier I use an electric whisk to get it to that lovely fudgy consistency.

Put the butter, condensed milk, milk, syrup and sugar all together into a heavy bottom pot or pan and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil until the mixture reaches 118 °C or the soft-ball stage. When the fudge is at soft-ball stage, remove the pan from the stove and stir in the vanilla. With an electric whisk beat for about five minutes, by which time the fudge will have thickened to the texture of stiff peanut butter. Pour into prepared baking. Smooth the top of the fudge as well as you can. Allow to cool and then cut into squares.

{inspiration}
Inspired by my friend Herman Lensing’s article in the Sarie recently I decided to make something in my microwave. Life is just so fast these days that I think we need to relook this genius kitchen accessory and have a solid appreciation for its talents and uses.

{mom’s microwave recipe book}
The microwave has played a critical role in the evolution of our culinary history – and something I never quite thought about. I decided to ask my mom if she had any microwave recipe books … well, she gave me 3 books plus a thick A4 book that she had put together herself over many years. It was made with one of my fathers’ old railway note books – mom cut and pasted recipes from different magazines and created an entire microwave recipe collection *lovely and so special to me*.

I found this really lekker peanut butter block recipe in her book. The marvelous thing was it only took me 6 minutes to make!

{rediscover the microwave magic}
We often tend to forget what an impact this wonderful machine had on our lives growing up … and even today. So dig out a few yummy microwave recipes … and rediscover the magic of the microwave!

{clubbing}
I remember my clubbing days back in PE so well – we had to take our sunglasses along as we only left the club around 6 am the next day. After a night of dancing and “patsy’ing” sunglasses was the only protection against the glaring sun…! Those were indeed amazing and carefree days + nights!

{greasy hangover remedy}
We also usually ended up at someone’s house starving for something – anything …that might ease the heavy hangover…! It was always something greasy and over the top from bacon and eggs to tangy cheese toast – we did not mind, as long it had some flavour and far reaching medical properties when it comes to treating the dehydration and excesses from the night before….

These days I have evolved somewhat and the greasy door stopping sandwiches of an adventurous youth have given way to some things a little more sophisticated.

{boxing day leftover club sandwich}
Let me share with you my take on a club sandwich today – which will go down a treat come Boxing Day. It is just the right Christmas leftover sarmie…. I used some of the leftover gammon, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. The cheese I used is the deliciously salty, fried Halloumi. But you can choose any type of cheese – I would suggest that you go with something like Emmental cheese.

Always remember to add mayonnaise to each slice of bread otherwise the toast of your Club sandwich will tend to remain dry. Serve this dish with a few extra slices of gherkins and mustard on the side. This is simple, honest and tasty.

{10th wedding anniversary}
The other day was our 10th wedding anniversary (I am still in disbelief that we have made it so far 🙂 ). Rick was not at home for our anniversary this year (he was on a golf trip!!) but he did leave a beautiful card and a gift for me. The gift was Antonia Carluccio’s latest recipe book, The Collection. A beautiful book and thoughtful gift.

{mozzarella in carrozza}
Paging through this book I found an interesting dish … Mozzarella in Carrozza or Fried Mozzarella Sandwich. Antonia served it with tomato sauce. I decided to make my own warm tomatoes on the vine and to add basil – so it became became a fried caprese sandwich. I also added a bit of butter to my olive oil when frying. To be frank it was as the Italians would say … bellissimo!!

{antonia carluccio}“Originally from Naples and generally from Campania, this dish has spread all over Italy and is to be found mostly in bars as a lunchtime snack, It is delicious when freshly made and still crisp”. – Antonia Carluccio, The Collection

{summer snack}
It’s nearly summer + snack time. All too often we so easily grab the packet of crisps on our way out of the supermarket. I am guilty as charged. I still cannot walk past a packet of salt and vinegar chips or a packet of nik naks for that matter :-).

{healthy summer snack}
Snacks in most instances also tend to rest on the unhealthy side of the food chain and are definitely not good for the summer figure… but not this refreshingly delicious dill tzatzkiki + homemade melba toast. You can make a large quantity of melba toasts in one go and then keep these in an airtight container till needed. The tzatziki will also last for about a week in your fridge – and the longer you keep it the stronger the flavour gets and the yummmier it gets.

For an even healthier option use fat free yogurt. Stock-up on these two items this summer and you will never be without the tastiest and healthiest snack for your summer soiree.

This is just a really delicious winter sandwich that will send your taste buds into somewhat of a happy twirl. This is definitely not for someone on a strict diet but it will definitely impress all your friends and loved ones. I used three of my favourite soft cheeses – Boursin (my ultimate!!), some blue cheese and normal cream cheese. What gives this sandwich somewhat of an edge is the fact that the cheese fillings are at room temperature and the luscious mushrooms are somewhat zingy, warm and juicy. The important element in preparing this sandwich is the preparation of the mushrooms.

Here are a few tips for frying mushrooms:
1. You need to add oil and butter to your non-stick pan – the butter adds that buttery, nutty flavour to the woody flavour of the mushrooms.
2. The pan must be smoking hot – if your pan is not hot enough the mushrooms will become soggy.
3. If you are cooking a lot of mushrooms – it is a good idea to cook them in batches.
4. Season your mushrooms while frying – for me the salt and pepper get etched into the delicious graininess of the mushrooms
5. Lemon and parsley always elevate the taste of the mushroom – try it.

Butter one slice of the bread very lightly. Divide the cheese fillings into three and add to the other side of the bread.

Then prepare your mushrooms: Cook the mushrooms + thyme in the olive oil and butter in a very hot pan – season with salt and black pepper. Do not let the mushrooms become soggy; they should be a beautiful nutty and brown colour. At the end at the chilli powder, a big squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Add your mushrooms to the cheese filling side of your sandwich, top it with the delicious micro burst leaves and top with the other slice of bread. YUM!

A slice of toasted bread with tomato … a sophisticated Spanish breakfast? This might surprise you but this is a very popular breakfast for millions of Spaniards… just plain and simple … bread and tomato. Pan tumaca is a recipe invented in Catalonia but according to the www it was probably brought there by Andalusian emigrants. There is just something about the Spanish, the Italians and the Greeks … they have a unique gift of turning the mundane into the fabulous and the dull into something truly delicious.

You see my very good friend chef Louis now lives in Spain – I was heartbroken when he moved to Castellón de la Plana near Valencia a few years ago – it felt like a part of me has gone with him. This past December we had the chance to meet up and spend a few magical days together. Just catching up again with him and his adventures was the most wonderful gift – to laugh, talk and cook together just like in the old days. Spain is now Lu’s new home and he gave me such insights about the real Spanish traditions and their infective passion for food.

The first breakfast of our holiday was this traditional Spanish breakfast – a slice of toasted bread + grated tomato + the best olive oil + maldon salt. No butter – just that. I was a little taken aback as Louis and I, given our collective South African heritage are kinda used to the big breakfasts… you know greasy fry-ups and perhaps even a mixed grill of sorts from the braai the night before… but after my first bite of this tapas-style-pan-tumaca, my anticipation for a sumptuous breakfast dissipated into complete contentment … I was converted! There was bliss to be found in its simplicity and the rudimentary sophistication of this dish.

However, with everything in life, Lu reminded me that there were a few good rules to follow …

• You can toast the bread if you like, but it is not compulsory
• The tomatoes must be red-ripe + fresh + plump
• Grate the tomatoes [that is what we did] – but the traditional way is to take the tomato and rub it over the one side of the slice of bread
• Use the best olive oil you can find or afford and drizzle over the tomato
• Use Maldon salt to finish the dish
• Some people like to rub garlic before adding the tomato to the bread
• And …Always cook with passion and love – no matter how basic the dish

happy new year everyone, wishing you all the best of everything for 2013. here is something easy and so delicious – it has some of my favourite ingredients and the fennel just makes this an extraordinary treat – love anél

They say that a Bloody Mary cocktail can cure hangovers – I think we all need to know this before the silly season gets underway…. But does it work? Is it fact or mere fiction? I decided to try this one out myself – so just last week with a very hectic social schedule filling my outlook calendar I decided it was a good time to plan a good hangover and test this myth or truth. So I attended a social function where the wine was literally on tap… (I booked a driver to ensure that I made it home safely), went home and decided to finish off my little experiment by rounding the evening off with a few more whiskeys – just a couple of night caps you know. I felt fabulous that evening – did a few dances for the hubby and went to bed. The next morning not so fabulous … what on earth was I thinking? I am no scientist…on cue though Rick woke me up with a Bloody Mary in bed! Thankfully it was Saturday morning, but whichever way you look at it … facing a cocktail concoction that that time of the morning can scare even a full-time professional drinker! For some crazy reason, I had to finish what I started, so with eyes wide shut, I tilted the head and knocked-back the Bloody Mary thingy. I lay about curiously waiting for this healing elixir to do its curative work. An hour later, no change, I still felt 10 000 hammers in my head. This Bloody Mary was clearly nursing somewhere else – or had taken the day off. It was – and is in my opinion a myth. I do know that scientific experiments are verified by a series of tests, so to be fair I decided to take this test to the next level.

If the Bloody Mary did not do its work in a cocktail glass perhaps the sum of its ingredients would be a better tonic if they were deconstructed. I took a cherry tomato injected it with a few drops of green tobasco, then I took a short shot glass of vodka and placed it adjacent to a bowl of salt.

The regimen is then to dip the tabasco infused tomato into the vodka and then douse it in the salt and pop it in your mouth. I added a bean for some protein and then a celery stick for the more traditional version. It is just so fab.

Did this cure my hangover? I reckon that you will have to go through quite a few kilos of tomatoes before this deconstructed Bloody Mary will make some sort of dent on a decent hangover.

So my deconstructed Bloody Mary may not be the cure for hangovers but try it – it will definitely be the showstopper at your next summer soiree or cocktail party!

I like some things in life hot and easy – like my husband 🙂 and then these easy to make hot chilli poppers! The ever popular chilli + cheese has to be up there as one of the best combinations that goes well with a cold beer or two …

But chilli poppers on the whole are quite messy and tricky things to make as they tend to ooze out of their casings – so I decided to put all the ingredients in a spring roll wrapper and roll it up snuggly into a chilli cheroot of sorts. To make it even easier I used already cut chillies – you know the ones with that sour, tangy taste – and some white cheddar cheese. This is easy, no fuss and you can put this on a plate in no time … hot + easy + yummy …

Pickled jalapeno peppers – the sliced up ones – drained and dried on a paper towel

Cake flour mixed with a bit of water into a paste

Oil for frying

Instructions

Take one wrapper and add a chunk of cheese to the wrapper, add a few chillies and roll-up (see diagram below). Use the flour paste on the seams of the wrapper when you fold it up. It will keep the popper together and it will also prevent the cheese from escaping or oozing out.

Fry in oil at 185°C for 4-5 minutes till golden brown.

Let it cool down, poor yourself a cold beer, a cider or champers if you wish and tuck in.